Here's the self portrait I started a long time ago - for weeks and weeks I had remained nothing more than a sad little floating face. Well, after receiving my Wacom (yay!) I decided I would go back and try to finish this piece to get it behind me.

I've got a really big problem with the hat though. This was done from a photo ref and it was pretty dark at the time the photo was taken so my little hat is pretty much non-existent. I know I shouldn't work from photos in the first place but I had already started this one.

If anyone could offer me any advice on how you're supposed to color something that's black, I would greatly appreciate it!

Wow. How pretty! Anyway, for your hat problem... you got a reference picture that we can look at? Hehe.... the camera flash idea is great. just add a bit of brightness where there are folds or creases in the hat... which i assume there is. seems like a ebanie so try texturing it a bit with the brushes. And, if all else fails.... change the color of the hat. Purple or white would be good. Hehe. Nice picture though. Seems enlayas hair tut was useful. hehe

I actually never read all of Enayla's tut Evil This is a technique I've been using to do hair on my paintings for a while, I've only just now been able to get a tablet to actually make it look decent, hehe ^_^

your hat being black is one of the bad things about working from a photo. your eyes are much more sensitive than any camera out there, and if you had a mirror in that scene, you would be able to pull out details that the camera cant.

but anyway, how do you pull it out? i would suggest that when painting from photo, only use it for generalities. form and light and such. but there is no reason that you have to follow it's tones exactly.

to pull the hat out, i would change the black to a dark gray, and work from there. i always find it easier to go from mids out to light and dark, than it is to go from black up to highlights.

overall, it is a very good pic. there are some small anatomy tweaks that could be made, but they are no big deal. the skin tones are also a bit washed out, but overall very nice.

Ok, here's the reference pic I used... I better not get any crap about how funky I look damnit =P

As you can see, the hat is VERY non-existent in the photo, hehe... however I still kinda like how this self-portrait turned out. A huge reason why I like it is because the entire face was done with the mouse, the rest I added tonight with my tablet. I don't think I want to tweak anything on the face with my tablet just so I can say I did it with the mouse. I proud of that I guess

I'm looking down quite a bit more in the photo I think. And my skin color looks a little weird in the real picture as well (I was out in the snow and I was sorta sick that day :/)

Jezebel,
Wow, you're a very lovely girl. I really like the hair and feather boa. Skin tones look a little on the cool side but maybe that's just my monitor. The hat looks OK overall but seems a little disconnected from the rest of the image. I think this is because there's no shadow cast across the forehead but I could be wrong. You might also consider adding some brush work in there similar to what you've done with the Boa. Wish I had access to a computer with PS on it so I could do a paint over to show you what I mean. Only other comment I can give is the eye's look just a smidge to far apart. I can only assume from this image that you are absolutly stunning in person (hope that didn't sound sexist)

Now that I see the referance image it clears up alot of things. I'd still try adding a small shadow across the brim of the hat (artistic licence) to see if it feels correct. Also, my assumptions were correct. You're very pretty (and Talented!!).

Thanks anticz! Someone else pointed out to me that the eyes were a little too far apart, now it's driving me crazy because I'm too lazy to fix it, hehe

I'll always be around to crit your work WICKED - no worries

And Kuzya, you said "hey bro" so I wasn't sure if you were talking to me or someone that commented on my pic. I didn't use any specific pallete, I tend to just open the color picker and select something I like. Then I just pick all the shades around it to lay down the basic shadows/highlights. To give any sort of blushed look or lighting effect I tend to use a really large, soft brush in a rich color, color all over the area where I want the highlights and then fade it until there's just the hint of color I want. I probably do everything the "no-no" way

I disagree with the sizing of the parts of the face that the others stated. The problem that I see is that the face is 'rounder' than in real life. It is much 'wider' than the reference. your face is a tad bit more oval and narrow which would bring the eyes closer together and make the lips the proper size and the nose fit in, in relation to the face.

Someone jump in and beat me with a coat hanger if i'm wrong.

Edit: By the way it is a GREAT pic don't get me wrong, I am stunned by your tones and the hair and 'boa' thingy and its texture. I wish I could get all of that down. It is very nice. But harshness wins out and I have to state what I see wrong as I did above (and I'm sure you appreciate).

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"I Hear High Heels!" - DirtyDigger

[This message has been edited by DirtyDigger (edited December 27, 2000).]

I love this tablet, it makes me want to draw all the time. I'm working on a more detailed image (new composition) right now that I think a few people here will like. Hopefully I'll get the same sort of feedback when I post it

you could add a ring of shadow below the hat, around the forehead. I also think that some added contrast would help. Perhaps just duplication of layer to color dodge and then adjust the opacity to your preferences.

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I killed the king of deceit, wake me up in anarchy. I made a god out of blood, not superiority.
. Kein Mitleid Für Die Mehrheit .

I was going to wait until I had my own pic to introduce myself, but your portrait was just so lovely, I felt compelled to comment! I do agree with everyone's comments so far, but my suggestion is a bit different. I'm not sure, according to your photo, what the hat is made out of, but it seems to me from your photoshop work that it would be quite perfect in a velour or velvet. Thus said, why not make it so? The hat, first off, seems to need a rim to it, so a highlight off the edge would be nice to distinguish the thickness. But as for greater contrast in the hat itself, perhaps some highlights that would suit the texture of a velvet? That way, you can keep the lovely softness of it, and just add the final highlights to complete the hat without too much fretting.

Otherwise, much like I am of many many artists here, I am quite impressed with your work. ;} I hope you find as much enjoyment out of viewing mine as I did of yours. Keep 'em coming!

I've already jumped face first into a new image and I'm afraid if I go back to fix anything on this self portrait that I will lose my inspiration for the one I'm doing now. After I finish this new piece, I will go back to this portrait and see what I can clean up =)